Francis Mechner (born 1931) is an American research psychologist best known for having developed and introduced (in 1959) a formal symbolic language[1][2][3] for the codification and notation of behavioral contingencies.
[12][13][14] In the late 1980s he composed the soundtracks for the original versions of Karateka and Prince of Persia (video games) both developed by his oldest son Jordan Mechner.
[24][25][26] In 1960 he introduced a new instructional technology[27][28] in conjunction with his founding of Basic Systems, Inc. with business partner David Padwa, a company they sold to Xerox Corporation in 1965.
[29][30][31] Key aspects of this technology are the specification of learning objectives at the outset of the development process, analysis of the subject matter in terms of its component skills and concepts, the systematic sequencing of these, active response by the learner, and cycles of testing and revision of the material on the intended target population.
[46] From 1960 through 1978 Mechner applied his technology to the creation of large-scale training systems and manpower development programs for governmental agencies in the United States and Brazil.
[63][64] From 1975 to 1977, he developed a computerized information storage and retrieval system and search engine for the Brazilian Government agency Instituto de Pesquisas Technologicas.
Mechner has published numerous technical papers and articles and has lectured and taught courses at dozens of national and international conferences and universities.